Jan. 06--MCALLEN -- The $900,000 five-level, live burn training tower for the McAllen Fire Department went through a final walk-through Friday.
Training Capt. Juan Angel Gloria said the City of McAllen has worked for at least four years to allocate $900,000 for the new facility. The high-tech tower at 10800 La Lomita Road, which houses several props for live burns and a number of specialized features, is just the beginning, he said.
"There are big plans for this area," Gloria said of the now relatively empty nearby training field.
The department envisions an administrative training building someday, as well as the ability to conduct urban search and rescue training.
Construction on the tower began in October.
Inside the new facility there is a simulated kitchen on the first floor and a simulated bedroom on the second. Firefighters will train on HAZMAT procedures, carrying hoses up the exterior stairs for high rise fires and rappelling.
"We're going to be able to do a lot of different things in this building, not just firefighting operations," Gloria said.
Among the important safety features is the liquefied petroleum gas used by the tower, which allows for greater control during live burns. A clean burn facility, he said, was required by the city. That means items like wood or hay are not used.
Live burns allow firefighters to train and observe the full progression of a fire; from its beginning to the dangerous rollover flames that crawl onto ceilings, Gloria said.
A remote controlled system, which requires a security login, is one of several safety features will allow instructors to closely monitor training exercises.
The department's old training facility, which didn't allow for live burns, was demolished more than a year ago and is now the site of McAllen's Fireman's Park at Second Street and Business 83.
"Before, here in the City of McAllen, we had a very old tower that was built in the 60s," Gloria said. "That tower definitely did not have any of these capabilities."
Places like Edinburg and San Antonio have been the next closest training grounds, he said.
The McAllen Fire Department anticipates other nearby departments and South Texas College will contract with the city to use the facility.
A recent fire in Hargill that killed three young children and the devastating September 2011 fire at 1212 E. Dallas Ave. both serve as reminders of how crucial proper training remains.
"Incidents like that one, those are things that we, through fire prevention programs, we hope to prevent from happening," Gloria said of the Hargill fire. "But, accidents do take place and these facilities here within our community allow us to train more and, simply, there is nothing better than being prepared."
The fire on Dallas Avenue particularly sticks out in the training captain's mind. He recalls residents jumped out of windows and the need for help from at least six other area departments.
A long-standing mutual aid agreement among certain Hidalgo County cities allows neighboring departments to ask for specific resources when needed, he said.
In the spirit of cooperation, there are already plans to host Mexican firefighters for training at the new tower later this month. Instructors from the fire departments in Weslaco, Mission and Edinburg will also teach.
"The best prepared that we can be, the best service that we can provide," Gloria said. "We try to do our best."
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Jacqueline Armendariz covers law enforcement, courts and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at [email protected] and (956) 683-4434.
Copyright 2013 - The Monitor, McAllen, Texas
